Laughter Is The Best Medicine At Comedy Night Fundraiser

CHATHAM – On Thursday, April 18 the Chatham/Harwich Branch of the Cape Cod Hospital Auxiliary will host a Comedy Night featuring comedian Amy Barnes at the Chatham Orpheum Theater for two shows, at 5 and 7 p.m.

This event marks the first time the Orpheum has showcased a comedian. “The Healing Art of Laughter” will raise funds to support the organization’s current $1 million pledge for cancer services of Cape Cod Hospital.

Engineer turned comedian Amy Barnes started her stand-up career in Seattle, appearing at comedy clubs around town while working days as an engineer in aerospace. It wasn’t long before she had to choose between the two career paths. Fortunately for us, she chose comedy.

Barnes seemed surprised to learn that she would be the first comedian to perform at the Orpheum.

“I’m honored! I hope I do it justice,” she said.

Barnes said that she travels all around the United States performing comedy, mostly in large metropolitan cities. “There’s no rhyme or reason, I bounce around like a ping pong ball,” Barnes said. “Ohio one night and Texas the next, or Iowa. There doesn’t seem to be any pattern, except I try to not perform near my home for the sake of my teenagers, who would find it mortifying that mom would be onstage anywhere near where their friends might be.”

Barnes’ career has included working as a comedy writer for dozens of famous comedians and actors including Nancy Travis, Bonnie Hunt, Jack Black and Morgan Freeman. She has appeared on Comedy Central and the National Lampoon Network. She has a special place in her heart, however, for performing in front of a live audience.

“It's so much fun to experience the differences in culture in different places,” Barnes said. “You’d be surprised what you can learn about people of a certain area by being onstage with them. Through audience participation, together we can create something — and they will experience something — that nobody will ever experience again. Only that audience. That is the magic of standup comedy. You can create that atmosphere. Anyone can just turn on Comedy Central or Netflix, and everyone who watches will see the same thing. This is what makes live comedy special. It will only happen once.”

Barnes said she cherishes the opportunity to raise money to help the Chatham/Harwich Branch of the Cape Cod Hospital Auxiliary meet the organization’s current $1 million pledge for cancer services at Cape Cod Hospital.

“That’s one of the best things about my job,” Barnes said. “I’ve been doing comedy for almost 25 years. In the first 10 I was in Hollywood writing, doing TV, performing in comedy clubs. As my career progressed I got to choose to be more useful than I was initially. When you are established, and you understand your craft and how to do shows, you get to start choosing. I have partnered with a lot of hospitals around the country to try to add more value to what I do, to start to do something bigger.”

To purchase tickets visit www.ccha-chathamharwich.org/2024/02/27/comedy-night/. For more information visit www.ccha-chathamharwich.org/. For more about Amy Barnes visit amyisfunny.com.